Doc Du Bois continues to be prophetic. In 1903's The Souls of Black Folks, he stated, "The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line, and as he does in the above article, he implored all who believe in humanity to resolve this issue. It seems that, to this point, not enough people believe in humanity.
When I ‘taught’ American History 102 I could have scrapped the syllabus and made us all work through this essay word by word. Of course I would have been fired but I was fired anyway so what the heck.
In DeBois in 1925 he says: in 1918 in order to win the war we had to make Germans into Huns and rapists. Today we have to make Negroes into rapists and idiots. Tomorrow we must make Latins, South-Eastern Europeans, Turks and other Asiatics into actual “lesser breeds without the law”.
The white Southern-created myth of “The Cause” continues to haunt our society today. Today’s Klan, of course, wears khaki slacks, baseball hats and balaclavas in a weak attempt to look mainstream.
This essay is amazing. I have never read anything more cogent. I will feel compelled to say more as I absorb it but the initial premise about the consuming fear of losing one’s livelihood rings so true I’m speechless in part of the elegance and compassion of the argument.
Doc Du Bois continues to be prophetic. In 1903's The Souls of Black Folks, he stated, "The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line, and as he does in the above article, he implored all who believe in humanity to resolve this issue. It seems that, to this point, not enough people believe in humanity.
When I ‘taught’ American History 102 I could have scrapped the syllabus and made us all work through this essay word by word. Of course I would have been fired but I was fired anyway so what the heck.
Dr. DuBois’ description and assessment of Ohio is amazing. What a powerful writing. Thank you.
Just stunning and heartbreaking as nothing has changed. We are still there.
Tour de force!
In DeBois in 1925 he says: in 1918 in order to win the war we had to make Germans into Huns and rapists. Today we have to make Negroes into rapists and idiots. Tomorrow we must make Latins, South-Eastern Europeans, Turks and other Asiatics into actual “lesser breeds without the law”.
The white Southern-created myth of “The Cause” continues to haunt our society today. Today’s Klan, of course, wears khaki slacks, baseball hats and balaclavas in a weak attempt to look mainstream.
We must rip off the masks and let these wannabe Klanners and neo-Nazis face the light of day….just as cities are starting to do with the thugs of ICE.
This essay is amazing. I have never read anything more cogent. I will feel compelled to say more as I absorb it but the initial premise about the consuming fear of losing one’s livelihood rings so true I’m speechless in part of the elegance and compassion of the argument.